Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-07

discuss the Chicago stock yards trouble The
pth of what he had to say on
this subject was that when a prin-
ciple of the order was 10 be enforced il should
he done after the matter had been considered
by the general executive committee The
stock yards mer doubtless believed they were
right in striking for eight hours a day, but
they had acted prematurely. He believed no
laboring man should work more than eight
hours day but before the order moved in
that direction the question should be looked
at in all its bearings, as to time, and prospect
of success, and the interests of all who were
affected should he carefully considered
The order and Anarchy was then
considered, and in this connec-
ton Powderly denied long list of
charges that had been brought against him
in fact the denial was sweeping, and in
cluded about everything that had been
charged He had never COMPOUNDED Social
ism with anarchy, and they should not be so
cOnfuunded, as they were quite different. 1t
was thought at one time that the order, heing
so large, could afford to brook the presence in
it Of the few Anarchistic piembers He, how
ever, thought otherwise and he laid the case
before the assembly, and asked it TO define
the position of the order on the subject and
to state whether the Anarchists were to be
permitted to prostitute the order to their
base uses Regarding the seven condemned
Chicago reds he said:
a have never publicly uttered sentiment
regarding the course of the seven men who
are condemned to death in Chicago This
is written Sept TO, 1881 will now give
-, i L L
trial, such as is guaranteed every man in the
United States, then they should be granted a
new trial If they have not been found
guilty of murder they should not be hanged.
If they are to be hanged for the actions Of
others it is not Just The'man who threw the
bomb in Chicago should be hanged and his
accomplices should receive the punishment
allotted to such offences by the laws of the
state of Illinois"
He had never said word in public, he
proceeded, concerning these men, but their
friends had put words into his mouth on the
subject that had never been uttered hv him.
Their case was none OF his business He then
continued:
My connection with Anarchy within the
order dated from Nov. 6, 1885, when I re-
fttNFtl IL itlhtT lEpil hiS IlthlptlN HlASItf
workman OF District Assembly "A, Of Chicago
advising me that resolutions of sympathy
nth the Anarchists had been passed by that
body, and that meanwhile its members We're
moving heaven ard earth to secure the re-
lease of the condemned men, and to utilize
the order for building up a political party to
be controlled and manipulated by the An
archists and their syInpathizers as a propa-
ganda of their nefarluus doctrines concerning
the domestic circle, government and land
tenure"
Mr. Powderly then denounced another
hatch of charges against hun made in this
connection As 'mpertinent and raScally, ~
and denied that because the general assembly
at Richmond recommended the condemned
men to mercy the entire order was committed
to their unqualified support and admitted
that there were times during the yeIr when
it was with the greatest difficulty that the
order was saved from crisis over this mat
ter
What lie had done in the matter, he said,
was done ito shield the order from the at
tacks of men who have grown insane on the
subject of bringing the millennium to a few,
after they have blown the many to atoms
The resolution which should pass is one to
demand that every avowsd Anarchist be
obliged to withdraw from this order or be
expelled. We have nothing to fear from the
trade union, but everything to fear from the
communicating influence of the men who
preach destruction in the name of our order,
and who at the same time assert that
they are Socialists, while giving the lie
to every principle of Socialism when they ad-
vocate violence of any kind. | believe 1t to
he the part of duty for me to warn our order
when its very life is in danger, when it is
threatened from any source. and knowing
that the destruction of the knights of Labor
was planned at a meeting in which these men
took part now say that this general assem-
bly, mnst take action on the matter of allow
ing interference to come from such quarter.
| have here the proofs of the plotting and
scheming OF these cOnspirators to do damage
to the name of labor and will present them at
the proper time
In referring to the Home club the speaker
denied that lie was under its influence. OF that
of any other club, and denounced the prac-
tice which he charged on some meubers of
the order of making charges through the
public prints instead of appealing to the
courts of the order for the abatement of al.
legged grievances-a practice which he
declared violation of the members obliga-
ton He said in relation to this: a have
with me the history of the men who have
acted in official capacities and who have
slandered the officers of the order, and if it
is required by the general assembly it will be
believe that the evil deeds
of prominent members of the general assem-
bly, who have held the order aHi it's officers
up to public ridicule and scorn, should be
known to the order"
In closing he recommended that bill be
prepared for introduction into congress
creating department of labor at the nation.
al capital, and that its passage he urged upon
cong ress next session. He also said the time
had arrived to take action on the declaration
of principle to the effect that the govern
ment should obtain possession of the rail
ways, telegraphs and telephones by exercis-
ing its right of eminent domain, and that the
order should go before congress at its next
session and ask for the passage of measures
with this object in view.
A universal benefit plan for the order was
also recommended and ascheme for the better
regulation of state, territorial and other trade
assemblies
Referring to the charge that he was So
ciaiist he said he had been sent a card Of
membership In that party, but had never in
any way had any other connection with it.
At the same time the principles of the knights
were Socialistic and its constitution outlined
an exalted form of Socialism
he denounced caucussing and lobbying in
the order, and said they should be declared
offenses punishable by expulsion, and then
proceeded to censure the practice of some
men In nlistrusting the head of the order He
declared he had right to the confidence of
every member, and strongly denounced the
"demagogues" who, if they saw him visit a
capitalist, Immediately sent forth the cry
that be was selling out the order Many Old.
portunlties of doing good to the cause be had
let go because these men would have nulli-
fed his action by their false reports. The
head of the order should be above suspicion,
and if charges were preferred against him
they should be laid before the assem-
bly, and not hawked about the streets Said
he: "Nihilism, from what have read of it,
has one redeeming feature No matter where
an officer is seen, no matter in what company
he may appear he is supposad nv his asso-